What is a prompt? Your magic instruction

⏱ 20 min learn Ages 9 & 12

💡 The big idea

A prompt is your instruction to AI. The quality of what you get back depends almost entirely on the quality of what you put in. A vague prompt gets a vague answer. A precise, detailed prompt gets a precise, useful answer. Learning to write great prompts is one of the most valuable skills you can have right now.

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Explain it

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"Giving directions to a friend — 'go somewhere' leaves them completely lost. 'Turn left at the post office, second road on the right, red door' — perfect. A prompt is your direction to AI. The more precisely you say what you want, the better it can help."

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Weak vs strong — try both pairs

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😴 Weak

"Tell me a story"

🚀 Strong

"Write a funny 3-paragraph story about a dragon who is scared of fire, for a 9-year-old, with a surprise happy ending"

Tell me a story

Write a funny 3-paragraph story about a dragon who is scared of fire, for a 9-year-old, with a surprise happy ending

🗣 Discuss: How different were the two answers? Which words in the strong prompt made the biggest difference?

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Lesson quiz — test yourself!

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Wrap-up discussion questions

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1️⃣ What is the difference between a weak prompt and a strong prompt?

2️⃣ Write a weak prompt about your favourite animal, then upgrade it yourself.

3️⃣ Why does giving AI more detail help it give better answers?